


Lab Entries 1-21

by emrys (livingshitpost)



Category: Undertale (Video Game)
Genre: Anxiety, Depressed Sans (Undertale), Determination (Undertale), Dubious Science, Fake Science, Gen, Magic and Science, Monsters, Paranoia, Post-Existence, Post-accident W. D. Gaster, Pre-Canon, References to Depression, Science, Science Experiments, Scientist Sans (Undertale), Scientist W. D. Gaster, Snippets, Souls, True Lab (Undertale), Worried Sans (Undertale)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-01-03
Updated: 2019-01-03
Packaged: 2019-10-03 09:20:46
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,270
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17281355
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/livingshitpost/pseuds/emrys





	Lab Entries 1-21

_ENTRY NUMBER 1:  
This is it... Time to do what the King has asked me to do. I will create the power to free us all. I will unleash the power of the SOUL.  The barrier is locked by S_

Alphys grumbles as she rummages in a drawer of her desk for another entry tablet. "Stupid character limit... Oh, there they are!"

_ENTRY NUMBER 2:  
The barrier is locked by SOUL power.. Unfortunately, this power cannot be recreated artificially. SOUL power can only be derived from what was once living. So, to create more, we will have to use what we have now... The SOULs of monsters._

_ENTRY NUMBER 3:_  
_But extracting a SOUL from a living monster would require incredible power... Besides being impractical, doing so would instantly destroy the SOUL's host. And, unlike the persistent SOULs of humans... The SOULs of most monsters disappear immediately upon death. If only I could make a monster's SOUL last..._

 _ENTRY NUMBER 4:_  
_I've been researching humans to see if I can find any info about their SOULS. I ended up snooping around the castle... And found these weird tapes. I don't feel like ASGORE's watched them... I don't think he should._

"oh, is that what you're calling it now?"

"Yes, Sans. It's the best we've got. We're going to have to make due."

"suit yourself. but anyway, don't you think we get back to 'research' now?"

"Absolutely. Just don't start it without me!" 

* * *

_ENTRY NUMBER 5:  
I've done it. Using the blueprints, I've extracted it from the human SOULs. I believe this is what gives their SOULs the strength to persist after death. The will to keep living... The resolve to change fate. Let's call this power... "Determination."_

_ENTRY NUMBER 6:_  
_ASGORE asked everyone outside the city for monsters that had "fallen down." Their bodies came in today. They're still comatose... And soon, they'll all turn into dust. But what happens if I inject "determination" into them? If their SOULS persist after they perish, then... Freedom might be closer than we all thought._

_ENTRY NUMBER 7:  
We'll need a vessel to wield the monster SOULs when the time comes. After all, a monster cannot absorb the SOULs of other monsters. Just as a human cannot absorb a human SOUL... So then... What about something that's neither human nor monster? _

* * *

"al, that's a crazy idea. it's totally, completely insane."

"Sans-"

"it doesn't make any sense."

"We don't exactly have a whole lot of options!"

He sighs, shoving his hands into his pockets.

"Will you help me?"

"... of course." 

* * *

_ENTRY NUMBER 8:  
_ _I've chosen a candidate. I haven't told ASGORE yet, because I want to surprise him with it... In the center of his garden, there's something special. The first golden flower, that grew before all the others. The flower from the outside world. It appeared just before the queen left. I wonder... What happens when something without a SOUL gains the will to live?_

"hey, al, pass me an entry tablet, will ya?"

"Sure." She holds two out over her shoulder. "Write something down for me, I need to check some math."

"okay."

 _ENTRY NUMBER 9:  
_ _things aren't going well. none of the bodies have turned into dust, so i can't get the SOULs. i told the families that i would give them the dust back for the funerals. people are starting to ask me what's happening. what do i do?_

"we're doin' the right thing, al."

"I hope so." 

_ENTRY NUMBER 10:  
experiments on the vessel are a failure. it doesn't seem to be any different from the control cases. whatever. they're a hassle to work with anyway. the seeds just stick to you, and won't let go... _

* * *

"Be my scribe again?"

"yeah, sure."

"Thanks."

 _ENTRY NUMBER 11:_  
_now that mettaton's made it big, he never talks to me anymore. ... except to ask when i'm going to finish his body. but i'm afraid if i finish his body, he won't need me anymore... then we'll never be friends ever again. ... not to mention, every time i try to work on it, i just get really sweaty..._

"sounds like someone made the robot body too hot."

"Be quiet, I'm trying to concentrate."

"i'm just sayin'-"

"Do _you_ want to be the one building the robot body?" 

"not for that weirdo. pap already thinks he's the shit. i'd just 'accidentally' break it."

"You better not!"

* * *

_ENTRY NUMBER 12:  
nothing is happening. i don't know what to do. i'll just keep injecting everything with "determination." i want this to work._

He nearly drops his coffee mug when he next walks into the dormitory.

 _ENTRY NUMBER 13:  
_ _one of the bodies opened its eyes._

* * *

"al, you  _gotta_ see this. i wouldn't believe it myself if i wasn't seeing it with my own eye sockets, it's nuts, i-"

"Alright, alright, I'm coming. Slow down. Geez, I've never heard you talk so fast." She adjusts her glasses and, for a moment, thinks she might be dreaming.

_ENTRY NUMBER 14:  
Everyone that had fallen down... ...has woken up. They're all walking around and talking like nothing is wrong. I thought they were goners...? _

* * *

They ask countless questions, take innumerable notes, and scratch their heads until they think they might do damage.

"What does this  _mean_ , Sans?"

"... i have no idea."

* * *

_ENTRY NUMBER 15:  
Seems like this research was a dead end... But at least we got a happy ending out of it...? I sent the SOULS back to ASGORE, returned the vessel to his garden... And I called all of the families and told them everyone's alive. I'll send everyone back tomorrow. :) _

* * *

_ENTRY NUMBER 16:  
_ _no No NO NO NO NO_

* * *

_ENTRY NUMBER 17:  
_ _monsters' physical forms can't handle "determination" like humans' can. with too much determination, our bodies begin to break down. everyone's melted together..._

Alphys steps on the entry tablet as she fumbles out of bed the next morning. The screen cracks and goes black. She brings it to Sans, who does his best to fix it, but he refuses to read the symbols that appear. She takes it up to her room in the main lab and pours over ancient books borrowed from Asgore and Gerson, but finds nothing. So she decides to crack the code herself.

 _ENTRY NUMBER SEVENTEEN_  
_DARK_  
_DARKER_  
_YET DARKER_  
_THE DARKNESS KEEPS GROWING_  
_THE SHADOWS CUTTING DEEPER_  
_PHOTON READINGS NEGATIVE_  
_THIS NEXT EXPERIMENT_  
_SEEMS_  
_VERY_  
_VERY_  
_INTERESTING_  
_..._  
_WHAT DO YOU TWO THINK_

Maybe some things are just best left alone.

* * *

_ENTRY NUMBER 18:  
the flower's gone._

"How astute of you, Sansuel."

"bite me." 

* * *

"Sans, m-my claws are sh-shaking too m-much, can you-?"

"sure thing, al."

_ENTRY NUMBER 19:  
the families keep calling me to ask when everyone is coming home. what am i supposed to say? i don't even answer the phone anymore._

_ENTRY NUMBER 20:  
_ _ASGORE left me five messages today. four about everyone being angry. one about this cute teacup he found that looks like me. thanks asgore._

_ENTRY NUMBER 21:  
i spend all my time at the garbage dump now. it's my element._

* * *

Sans wakes up one morning, upset, and hangs up the lab coat he'd been wearing over his hoodie.

"S-Sans?"

"yeah, al?"

"Where are you going?"

"... i'm goin'a grillby's. i don't think i'm gonna come back to work tomorrow." He doesn't look at her.

"Wh-what? Why not?"

"i don't wanna talk about it. i just... i can't do this anymore." He chances a peek back at her and immediately regrets it. If he had a stomach, it'd be tied in a tight knot. "'m sorry."

"I-it's fine," she lies. "Take care of yourself."

"you too."


End file.
